Little Bundle O' Joy
by Lisabeth C
Summary: Post "RoAF"(my other story), Buffy finds she's pregnant. It's not one of those "who's the daddy?" ones ( I hate those) if you read my other fic you can tell.
1. Scared

Unexpected Delightful Surprises  
  
Buffy Anne Summers Finn woke up quietly in the bedroom, that morning the twice a month ritual would begin. Riley, eager for children and laughter among the household had suggested it. Every other Thursday Buffy took a pregnancy test, a test that she feared would determine her, her unborn child, and her husband's future.  
Buffy sat up, she gazed to her left, Riley slept soundly, volumed snores occurred once every ten seconds. Buffy had claimed the left side of the bed; she had claimed it since their first marital experience. Riley hadn't cared, he naturally flocked to the right anyway.  
  
"Wake up. We have our thing we have to do, the test." Buffy said tenderly, softly placing her firm hand on his shoulder. Riley woke up immediately.  
  
"Good morning." He grinned yawning. Riley leaned over and kissed her on the cheek as he did every morning.  
  
"Well, if you agree to get up, I agree to take the stick and pee on it." She said bluntly. Riley arose, pulled on his flannel pajama pants that he rarely wore, ever. He pulled on his white cotton knit T-shirt. Buffy got the covers from off her body; she wore a lavender silky satin nightgown. She went to the bathroom and pulled the familiar purple stick out of the plain Ever Easy Pregnancy Test box. She went to the toilet and peed into a tiny Dixie cup. She dipped the tester part of it into the cup, and then placed it on the counter. It would be ten minutes till the test would be complete and correct. She left the room.  
  
"So?" Riley asked nervously.  
  
"Riley, you know we have ten minutes left till it's done, right?" She asked, and then sat next to him on the bed. She leaned closer to him and kissed him on the cheek. They sat there the remaining period.  
  
  
  
Buffy got up silently and entered the bathroom hesitantly. She brought the cup back into the bedroom. Then sat back down by his side. He nudged her to see the results. She looked, a red postitive sign glared back at her, she was positive. Riley stared at it. He was a daddy.  
  
"Riley." She said disbelieving.  
  
"Buffy, you're pregnant, there's actually something in you." He patted her stomach.  
  
"Riley, sometimes these things come out wrong, like maybe it's actually negative. I want to go to the doctor." She said quietly.  
  
"And to the doctor you will go, I'll take you this afternoon, for now you can lie down in bed and I will go to the store and get you a carton of Double Fudge Mint Chip ice cream. Just stay here." He smiled, leaving her in the room in a daze.  
  
  
  
Riley entered the grocery store happily, a bounce in his step, ninety eight point eight percent of the time those tests were right. He didn't want them to be the leftover two point two percent. He walked down the metal aisles to the back where there were frozen rows of ice cream. He walked to it, choosing the premium Double Fudge Mint Chip ice cream. He opened the case and was surprised to find that the door hit a man with black curly hair. It was Xander.  
  
"God, Riley, thanks for the headache." He grinned rubbing his head gingerly.  
  
"Sorry Xander, just getting some ice cream for the misses." He replied.  
  
"Special occasion? Buffy gets Double Fudge Mint Chip only when she's depressed or over flowingly happy, what's the deal?" Xander asked.  
  
"I'll say it's a special one alright, the test came back positive."  
  
"What test? Duh Xander, pregnancy test? Positive? As in Buffy's a mom positive?" Xander asked dumbfounded.  
  
"Well, I'm one hundred percent sure she is, but she wants to go see the doctor." Riley shook his head. "Buffy's so stubborn, you know how she is." Riley took the ice cream carton out of the freezer case.  
  
"Well, good luck. I have to go to the employment office, just think I may be a uncle." Xander pondered and walked away. In a panic Riley got lots of snack food, cheerio breakfast bars, cheeto bags, and some Oreos. He went home.  
  
  
  
RING RING! The shrill telephone rang. Buffy drowsily got up and answered it.  
  
"Hello?" Buffy asked.  
  
"BUFFY! I heard." It was Willow.  
  
"You heard what?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You're pregnant." Willow said.  
  
"Willow, how'd you find out?"  
  
"Xander called, he said Riley told him at the supermarket."  
  
"Willow, we're not sure, I can't believe Riley told, he was supposed to wait till after the appointment." Buffy scratched her head. Strong arms hugged her, she turned, it was Riley. She smiled then stared at him, her eyes like daggers. He backed away.  
  
"Well, I want to be the first Scoob to know, 'kay?" Willow asked.  
  
"Of course, Will, I gotta go." Buffy said.  
  
"Bye Buffy." Willow replied and hung up the phone, Buffy did the same. She turned to face her husband. He looked at her.  
  
"That was Willow, apparently news of my pregnancy got out." Buffy replied angrily.  
  
"Buffy...."  
  
"Who says you have the right to tell them that there is even a possibility without asking me? The supposed child is in me after all isn't it? Isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sorry."  
  
"By sunset Spike and Angel will know, everybody, just because you said I might have a child. Have you made the appointment? 'Cause God knows I wouldn't want them to be disappointed." Buffy said sarcastically.  
  
"I made the appointment, Buffy, relax, they aren't going to hate you if you're not pregnant, I know I'm not, I just want something that belongs to both of us." He said tenderly.  
  
"Like this house? The Jeep?"  
  
"No Buffy, flesh and blood, DNA, chromosomes, both of us there, in something, a baby, our baby." He replied.  
  
"That sounds nice, I'm just not keen on the nine months, I've seen the movie, I've heard horror stories, I'm scared, I'm petite, Riley, what if something went wrong? You'd hate me then." She said meekly.  
  
"Buffy, I loved you before the whole kid thing came up, and I always will, I could never hate you." He said, gazing into the pools of moss that were her eyes.  
  
"Okay, I'll try, but if I can't, I just can't, okay?" She asked.  
  
"Okay." He replied reassuring.  
  
"When's the appointment?"  
  
"Twenty minutes, you ready to go?"  
  
"What? Twenty? Just give me five minutes to do some things, like brush my hair, and brush my teeth and I'll go." She grabbed his hand and then let it go as she walked to the bathroom.  
Riley, two minutes later heard her throwing up.^ Morning sickness^ he thought. ^She's really pregnant, she really is^. She came out in a few minutes.  
  
"I guess I am, or maybe it's the stress talking, but maybe I am pregnant, God, maybe I am." Buffy said taking her blouse off and changing into another one.  
  
"But let's go in case." Now Riley was scared. 


	2. He's EVIL!

Buffy sat on the plastic table in her examination room holding Riley's hand nervously, she was sweaty.  
  
"Hon, it'll be fine."  
  
"I'm just so scared, Riley. What if I am? What if I'm not?"  
  
"It'll be fine, I promise." He said as the doctor came in.  
  
"Doc?" Buffy jumped up.  
  
"Settle Mrs. Finn, the tests came back positive. You are going to be a mother, congratulations."  
  
"Uh-huh." She seemed un-fazed.  
  
"News is, you've been pregnant for a month."  
  
"That's weird, we take the stick test every other Thursday." Buffy said.  
  
"Why hasn't it shown up before now?" Riley asked.  
  
"You have to let the body do its work, it's not automatic. The chemicals take a while to get into the system."  
  
"Oh." Riley sighed.  
  
"Oh." Buffy echoed.  
  
"So I'm saying your due date should be about October thirty-first, Halloween."  
  
"The Buffy date of the year." Buffy mumbled.  
  
"Hmm?" The doctor asked.  
  
"Nothing." She muttered.  
  
"Well, you have a check up in two weeks. See you then." He waved.  
  
"That guy scares me." Buffy twitched in the hallway.  
  
"He seemed kinda nice."  
  
"Are you kidding? That guy's EVIL!" She raved, the other ladies looked at her.  
  
"She's hormonal." Riley explained and the women nodded.  
  
"I am not hormonal!" She screamed as they went into the parking lot.  
  
"Then what's with the 'the doctor's a mass murderer and EVIL' deal all about?"  
  
"I'm just scared! Afraid of what'll happen. Riley, the baby, it's so small and helpless, if something, say a demon, got it. I couldn't live.... Riley, I don't want it to go through the hell I went through."  
  
"Buffy, if something happens, we'll survive. But, the time we have it, it'll be good, we'll feel good. The PTB will be on OUR side, as Giles tells it, the Powers That Be don't' punish those who have done good for them. It's not the way."  
  
"They slip up, Riley. Things happen."  
  
"I have feeling they won't."  
  
"A feeling? Riley, a feeling only takes you so far, work, hard duty, life, that helps you through. Feelings? Emotions....."  
  
"Hey, emotions, love, living, that's what makes us, how we live, who we are. Without love, we wouldn't be here, we wouldn't know each other better than a T.A. and his student. Love, emotions, feelings, it's all the same. It's what makes me love you more."  
  
"Riley..."  
  
"Listen, to me, for once. I love you for not only who you are but what you are. You're not exactly human, you're Buffy, the chosen one, the one for me. I think the wedding ceremony covered it." He grinned.  
  
"Yep, it did, I agree not to be mental if you agree not to Psych 101 me, deal?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's just SO creepy." She giggled. 


	3. The Name Game

RRIINGG!! The shrill ring of the telephone woke Buffy from her slumber. She was seven months pregnant and she felt like it. She had been dreaming of her craving (ice cream sandwiches) and sadly the time when she was able to slay a vampire.  
  
"Hello?" She mumbled into the receiver.  
  
"Buffy! Did you get the results?"  
  
"Uh-huh." She yawned.  
  
"Which is it?"  
  
"Willow, it's a girl."  
  
"OOHH! I'm an auntie. Auntie Willow, that's me! I am a potential aunt, right?"  
  
"Of course, Will, we love you to pieces."  
  
"Auntie Willow, that's me! Buff, what're you going to name the child? Willow's a good name."  
  
"I was thinking Joyce Katherine. In honor of my mom and his."  
  
"That's pretty. When I was little and not gay, of course, my favorite name for a baby was Catalina."  
  
"Willow, that's a type of salad dressing."  
  
"Hey, I was young and impressionable. Plus, salad was my fave food."  
  
"Okay, okay. I gotta go see Riley, we're having lunch together."  
  
"Lunch date, cool."  
  
"You bet, I have to get in the van like now if I want to make it."  
  
"Buff, you sure that's a good idea?"  
  
"Driving? Of course, I passed the test –"  
  
"Buffy, I'm proud of that, but you're in your late stages, let me give you a ride."  
  
"If you insist." Buffy muttered.  
  
"I do. See you in about five minutes." Buffy got out of bed, toddled to her closet and pulled out her new dress, a pink and lavender dress that went to her knees, that made her look slimmer and less hefty. She slipped it on and pulled on some soft terrycloth flip- flops and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She was putting on her eye shadow when the doorbell rang. She went down the hallway with her purse and opened the door.  
  
"Have I told you how much I've hated you lately?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Buff, don't be a spoilsport."  
  
"It's just, you're slim and I'm well, the future mom leavin' for Momdonia on the Pregnancy Express."  
  
"Buffy, you're beautiful."  
  
"Do you really mean that?"  
  
"Uh-huh, it's not the gayness or the best friendness talking, if I didn't know you I'd say the same thing."  
  
"Thanks Will." 


	4. Early Bird Special

"Mmm.... I don't know if it's the baby talking or if it's really me, but this pasta is good." Buffy said wrapping the spaghetti around her fork.  
  
"My very own recipe."  
  
"You always have the best ones." She winked.  
  
"Except for the Strawberry Cookies I tried to make last month." He mumbled.  
  
"Hey those were okay." She stressed okay.  
  
"Sure, don't patronize me." He insisted.  
  
"As I said they were okay, they weren't barfworthy."  
  
"And what rates barfworthy on your scale?"  
  
"Call it raspberry and strawberry cake and liver." Riley frowned.  
  
"I'm so tired."  
  
"Don't we have a week left till the baby's supposed to be born?"  
  
"Uh-huh, looks like Joyce wants to be on time." Buffy paused and got this look in her eyes and she froze.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Or Not. Riley, I think my water just broke."  
  
"Really? Your water.....oh, I better go get the suitcase."  
  
"Yea, you better, I'll just be limping to the car now." She panted.  
  
Buffy started to limp towards the car slowly and she opened the door and slowly got in, foot by foot. Within two minutes, Riley was back with her suitcase and a cooler.  
  
"Cooler?" She whispered painfully.  
  
"When I went to the –"  
  
"Riley, Joyce is on her way, more drive less talk, okay?" She got angry.  
  
"I was just telling you." He muttered and sped up and began to drive to the hospital.  
  
"DOCTOR! WE NEED A DOCTOR NOW!!!! Preferably DOCTOR WEISMAN! MY WIFE IS GOING INTO LABOR!!!!" Riley yelled, letting Buffy prop herself on his arm.  
  
She began to scream and cry and every movement. Joyce wanted out, then.  
  
"Sir, can you fill out some paperwork before we can serve your wife?" A blonde nurse asked him.  
  
"Are you Crazy!?!? My wife is in pain and you want me to fill out paperwork?"  
  
"Good point. What's your wife's name, so we can look her up in our database?"  
  
"Summers-Finn, Buffy."  
  
"Thanks." The nurse went to the desk and picked up the intercom phone. She then said "Dr. Weisman, your patient, a Mrs. Buffy Summers-Finn, has gone into labor, I repeat, she has gone into labor."  
  
Buffy was sleeping as she had been for the last day, sore from the delivery, and just plain tuckered out.  
Riley admired his wife's sleeping while he held the baby. Joyce Katherine had Buffy's eyes, mossy green with a hint of hazel. She was pink and she had soft skin which reddened with every touch. She was blanketed in a warm fleece blanket that had been supplied by the hospital.  
Buffy began to stir, she stretched her arms and yawned. Buffy looked ahead of her and saw Riley with Joyce. Joyce, their baby, their baby together.  
  
"How is she?" Buffy whispered.  
  
"You're awake." He smiled as he came closer to Buffy.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"A little tired and hungry. You?"  
  
"Same." Buffy grinned feebly.  
  
"I'll get you some food. Ice Cream good?"  
  
"Uh-huh, absolutely. Have you told the gang?"  
  
"Oh, no, kinda busy with your labor and all that. Here and here." He gave Buffy his cell phone and Joyce. He left the room and went down the stairs to the cafeteria.  
Buffy laid Joyce down on the blanket and began to dial. Every number she dialed she cringed. Finally the dialing was over and the ringing started.  
RING! She began to sweat, perspiration rolled down her cheeks. RING! It went again. Maybe they weren't home. She cringed again. RING!  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Will, guess what." Buffy said softly.  
  
"Buffy, you sound horrible, what happened?" Buffy bit her lip.  
  
"Will, Joyce has just been born....." 


	5. A Little Talk With Mom

"Riley, I have to do something today." Buffy held her baby to her breast.  
  
"What?" Riley asked.  
  
"I have to see someone."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"My mother." Riley nodded in understanding.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Buffy sat in the passenger seat with Joyce Katherine in her arms, Riley was driving. She kissed Joyce's forehead softly and listened to the soft music on the radio. They went past the sandy grounds and nearby dry grass until they came upon a sign that said 'you are five feet away from Sunnydale, California', some vandals had made the Sunnydale into Sunnyhell. Riley parked the car and looking into the deep canyon, he unlocked the door for Buffy and let her out. She got out and went almost to the edge with her daughter. Buffy situated herself on the dusty sand ground and started to speak.  
  
"Mom, we haven't talked in awhile, I know. I should've done this before. I should have told you everything, my marriage, everything. No, to prove wrong your suspicions, I did not go to Vegas and marry some guy, I went to LA and married Riley, yes, that nice guy I dated, that you just LOVED. I've done some unsatisfactory stuff, I know, you're probably looking down on me from heaven and frowning. I heard your criticism when I was with you, up there. I know I was unfairly ripped away from you, I dwelled on that fact forever, then I realized that I was dwelling on something that I couldn't get back. I lived on. And today, I'd like you to meet someone, a special someone, my daughter, your granddaughter, Joyce Katherine Finn.............................." 


End file.
